2. Bundesliga preview: VfL Bochum vs. Hertha BSC
| Vonovia Ruhrstadion, where Bochum will face Hertha on Friday evening | Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images |
The wait is finally over as the 2026/27 2. Bundesliga season gets underway on Friday night, with two former Bundesliga clubs kicking off the campaign when VfL Bochum host Hertha BSC at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion.
Bochum begin the campaign with renewed optimism after a productive first full pre-season under Uwe Rösler. Despite overseeing a significant squad rebuild that has seen 17 players depart and 10 new faces arrive, there is growing belief that the club is heading in the right direction.
Rösler inherited a side battling near the foot of the table midway through last season, but masterminded an impressive turnaround, guiding Bochum to a comfortable ninth-place finish. His impact was immediate, with the club losing just once across his opening 15 matches in charge.
The Ruhr outfit have also enjoyed an encouraging summer. Victories over Oberhausen, Swansea City and Royal Antwerp were complemented by draws against Ajax and Sheffield United, while their only defeat came against Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. Four clean sheets during pre-season will also give the Bochum boss confidence heading into the opener.
Rösler has emphasized the mentality he wants his side to carry throughout the campaign:
“If we internalize our motto ‘hard to beat!’ – meaning that we want to be hard to beat – we will achieve our goals this season. This credo should accompany us every day; we want to demonstrate this winning mentality.”
The mood in Berlin has been considerably different.
Hertha have endured another difficult summer off the pitch, with captain Fabian Reese among several notable departures alongside Tjark Ernst, Kennet Eichhorn and Michael Cuisance. Ongoing financial constraints have prevented the club from adequately replacing the 14 outgoing players, with only Oluwaseun Adewumi arriving on loan from Burnley so far, much to the frustration of supporters.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the club, Stefan Leitl’s side have quietly put together an impressive pre-season. Hertha remain unbeaten after victories over Frohnauer SC, Lichtenberg 47, Lokomotive Leipzig and WSG Tirol, as well as draws against Mamelodi Sundowns and Bundesliga outfit FC Köln.
Leitl is hoping that positive momentum can continue into the league season regardless of the outside noise:
“I have a very good feeling. We had a good preseason, were able to complete our full program, and reintegrate players. The friendlies went well, and the team seems very cohesive. Now we’re really looking forward to Friday’s game. We want to bring the form we showed in preseason to the pitch. That’s the objective,”
Neither side enjoyed a winning start to last season, something both will be eager to put right this time around.
Bochum also held the upper hand in this fixture last season, winning 3-2 at home in Uwe Rösler’s first match in charge before earning a 1-1 draw at the Olympiastadion in March. Hertha, meanwhile, have not won away at Bochum since 2021.
Team news
VfL Bochum: Philipp Strompf and Mikkel Rakneberg remain unavailable. Highly-rated youngster Alessandro Crimaldi could be handed a place in the starting XI.
Hertha BSC: Gustav Christensen is expected to be the visitors’ only absentee, while 18-year-old Boris Mamuzah Lum could make his first competitive start for the Berlin club.
Predicted lineups
VfL Bochum (4-2-3-1): Horn (GK); Olsen, Steinwender, Karademir, Wittek; Mbom, Cokaj; Miyoshi, Taz, Crimaldi; Hofmann.
Hertha BSC (4-2-3-1): Gersbeck (GK); Eitschberger, Gechter, Dardai, Zeefuik; Lum, Seguin; Winkler, Sessa, Brekalo; Schuler.
